Fire escape device



Aug. 1s', 1936. A, R. BURKE 2,051,516

FIRE ESCAPE DEVICE Fi1ed May 15, 1955 Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES FIRE ESCAPE DEVICE Arthur R. Burke,

Rochester, Minn., assgnor of forty-nine four-hundredths to CecilV E. Genther, forty-'nine four-hundredths to Charles F.

Shields, forty-'nine four-hundredths to Elmer Lee, and forty-nine four-hundredths to John Ryan, all of Rochester, Minn.

Application May l5., 1935, Serial No. 21,560

4 Claims.

My invention relates to re escape devices and particularly to devicesproviding for descent of persons from a window of a building to the ground.

An object of my invention is to provide simple, inexpensive, effective and easily used fire escape device ci the class described.

Another object is to provide such a device which may normally be kept in compact condition to facilitate storage and transportation and yet may be quickly and easily placed in operative condition.

:Still another object is to provide such a device including a llexible trough-'like structure adapted to be attached at its upper end to either the frame or sill of the window ci a building and to `beheld at its lower end by a person standing `on the ground outside -of said building.

These and other objects and advantages of Ythe invention will be more fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in' which like reference Acharacters refer to similar parts throughout Vthe several views and -in whichz Y Fig, 1 is a view of my nre escape device com- Jpactly rolled up as for storage or transportation;

Fig. 2 is a view of my device as seen from the inside of a window frame with which Vit is aslsociated in operative condition;

Fig, 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 as indicated bythe arrows;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line -4---4 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrows, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View of my device attached to a ledge.

Referring to the drawing, my lfire escape device includes a trough-like chute C formed of flexible 'sheet material such as canvas -or other suitable sheet material and comprising a oor portion 6 and a pair of side wall or railing portions 1 .extending upwardly rom respective edges of the floor portion at substantially right angles thereto.

The upper edges of the side wall portions 'l of the chute C are reinforced by hemming them over ropes 8 as shown best in Fig. 3 and stitching the ropes 8 to the hemmed portions of lthe side walls l; At the lower end of the chute YC the respective ropes 8 extend outwardly of the end of the hem and are bent back and. stitched into the hem, asl shown, to form anchoring loops 8a. -Other relatively short pieces of rope are stitched `to the upper edge of each side wall portion 1 rat intervals to provide a series of spaced anchor-V -ing loops along the lengthfof each side Wall portion l -as shown. Y

The chute C of my device is adapted to extend outwardly and downwardly from a window or other opening in the Wall-of a building to the ground adjacent the wall and hence suitable means is provided at the upper end of the chute C for connecting the same to the building wall for support thereby.

An elongated supporting member is provided, vsuch as the rod l0 having a length somewhat greater than the width of the wall opening with which my device is to be associated. The upper end of VtheIfloor portion E of the chute C is formed into ya hem :6a. through which the rod l extends. The outer .portions of the rod l0 may be placed in engagement with portions of a building wall closely adjoining respectively opposite sides of an opening in the wall with which my device is associated, as illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein my device isshown associatedrwith a window opening vO formed in a wall W and provided with a window frame F.

Each end portion of the rod lll is provided with a vgenerally inverted U-Shaped element Il attached thereto Vin a certain manner to be described. Each U-.shaped element H includes one leg .disposed `closer to the center of the rod I0 than .the remaining legrand to be hereinafter referred to as the inner leg and a remaining leg to be 'hereinafter referred to as the outer leg.

The lower end of the inner leg of each of the U-shaped elements H is formed into a loop lla encircling the rod l0. Each loop lla. has an internal Ydiameter' substantially larger than the external diameter of the rod l0 and, with the U shaped :elements Il' positioned as shown in Fig.

'2, lies vin a vertical plane inclining inwardly of the wall Wand outwardly of the center of the rod VIll at an angle of approximately 45 degrees :as shown in Fig. l2 so that the U-shaped element Il may be swung about the longitudinal axis of lits 'inner leg between positions wherein the plane of Athe U-shaped element I i lies respectively normal to the longitudinal axis of the rod Ill and in position to include the longitudinal axis of the rod t0 as respectively shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 2.

Theupper Vends of the respective side-wall portions 1 of the chute C are provided with hems through which the inner legs of the respective U- shapedl elements `I l extend as shown. The upper ends of the ropes 8 are secured to the upper portions ofthe inner legs of the respective U- shaped elements Il whereby the chute C will be supported by the ropes f8 and depend therefrom in the manner of a trough.

The remaining or outer leg of each of the U- shaped elements I I is flattened and bent inward- VVly to form a hook-like attachment element I Ib a retaining nut I2 for holding the-attachment element I Ib in the notch Ia of the rod I0.

The window frame F with which my device is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is provided with stout screw-hooks I3 on which the'upper portions ofthe respective inverted U-shaped elements! I may be hung as shown. However, it should be apparent that my device may be associatedwith a window frame in the manner illustratedwithout resorting to hooks such as the hooks I3.

When use of my fire escape device becomes necessary the rod I 0 and U-shaped elements I I thereof may be easily and rapidly placed in operative relation with a window frame F and screw-hooks I3 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 with the chute C hanging out of the window. The anchoring loops 8a Yor a pair of the anchoring loops 9 may be grasped by a person or persons on the ground outside the wall W or may `be connected to Vany suitable object to so anchor the lower portion of the chute C that `the chute C is Yinclined at an angleY degrees or thereabouts with respect Yto the ground. Y i

If `the full length of the chute C is required to reach a'point adjacentk the ground when my device'is placed in operative condition as abovedescribed the anchoring loops 8a at the lower end of the chute are used and if ,less than the full length of the chute isrequired a suitable pair of anchoring loops 9 are used.

A person desiring to descend to the ground by means of my device may seat Vhimself on the upper end ofthe iioor portion 6 of the chute C with his hands grasping the upper marginal parts v of the respective side wall portions 'I Yof theV chute.

YThe said personmay then slide down the chute C or slowly descend in the chute C Vregulating his l Yspeed of descent byV shifting his grasp with rst one hand and then the other to successively lower points on the marginal parts of the side wall portions 1 ofthe chuteC. Y l

Whenmy device'is not inV use it maybe compactly rolled as follows. The side-wall portions 1 are folded inwardly against the oor portion 6 of the chute C and the oor and side wall portions 6 andy'I are tightly rolledv adjacent the rod I0 to assume the positions thereofshown in Figs. 1 and 5, after Vwhich the roll thus formed may betightly Vencircled by a suitableV binding element such as the strap I4. It is ofcourse preferable Ythat my device, rolled as described, normally be kept within a building and close to the1wa1l opening with which it is intended to be used.

VIf it is desired that the upper end of myrdevice be lconnected to and supported by a portion of a building, such as the element I5, the nuts I2 are removed, the U-shaped elements II are slid outwardly on Ythe rod I0 to disengage the hook-like attachment. elements IIb from the notchesV Illa' of the rod I 0 and the U-shapedY elements I I are 'swung into a plane normal toY the longitudinal axis of the rod I0. Then the U-shapedelements Lbecome hooks suited for engagement with the element I5 ofV a building Vin the manner shown in Fig. 5.

. It is apparent thatI have invented a novel,.sim-

ple, inexpensive and effective fire escape device which may normally be storedin efciently. comclosed and dened in the appended claims.

Attention should perhaps be called to the fact that the elements I I are slidable longitudinally of the rod I0 within limits so as to permit adjustment to bear against the inner sides of uprights spaced varyingdistances apart. 'I'his adapts the device forruse with windows of varying widths.

Preferably the fabric material forming the chute C is made of :fire resistant material.

What is claimed is:- 1. Fire escape apparatus comprising a troughlike structureradapted to extend outwardlyY and downwardly from a portion of a building `and means at the upper end of said structure for engagement with said building, said means includinga rigid.. elongated horizontal member adapted to bridge between andbear against a pair of'up-k rights of said building, a pair of generally inverted U -shaped elements associated with Vthe reangles and are adapted to bear against said uprights when parallel to the axis member. Y y Y 2.A Fire escape apparatus comprising a troughlike lstructure adapted to extend outwardly and downwardly from a portion of a building and means at 'the upper end of said structure for engagement with said building, said means including a rigid, elongated horizontal member adapted to bridge between and bear against a pair of uprights of said building. a pair of generally U- shaped elements associated with the respective ends of said rigid member, each of said U-shaped elements having they free end of Yone leg thereof of said rigid Yformed into oneeye'encircling said rigid member and disposed in a plane obliquely angled with the plane of the U-shaped element whereby eachV `vertically extending relation to said rigid member and are adapted to bear against therrespective ones of said uprights. Y 4 y 3. `Fireescape apparatus comprising a trough- Y like chute formed of fabric and including a'oor and side wall portions extending upwardly from the edges of said floor, exible elongated tension elements extending longitudinally of and'secured to the upper marginal portions of therespective side walls to support said chute, said vchute being spective e'nds of said rigid member, each of said adapted to extend diagonally outwardly and downwardly from a portion oi a building to a point adjacent the ground, and means at the upper end or" said chute for engagement with said building, said means including a rigid, elongated horizontal member adapted to bridge between and bear against a pair of uprights of said building, a pair oi generally U-siiaped elements associated with the respective ends of said rigid member, each oi said U-shaped elements having the free end of one leg 'thereof iormed into an eye encircling said rigid member and disposed in a plane obliquely angled with the plane of said U-snaped element whereby each of said U-shaped members may be swung between positions wherein its plane is respectively parallel to and at rignt angles to the longitudinal aXis oi' said rigid member, said U-shaped elements comprising hooks when disposed at right angles to said rigid member, and a pair of releasable means for connecting the free ends of the remaining legs of the respective U-shaped elements to said rigid member when said U-shaped elements are parallel to said rigid member whereby said U-shaped elements are held in vertically extending relation to said rigid member and are adapted to bear against the respective ones of said uprights, the upper ends of said tension elements being connected to the upper portions of the first mentioned legs of the respective U- shaped elements.

4. Fire escape apparatus comprising a troughlike structure adapted to extend outwardly and downwardly from a portion of a building, means attached to the upper end of said structure for engagement with said building for at least partial support of said structure therefrom, said means including a rigid horizontally disposed elongated member adapted to be bridged between a pair of uprights of said building so as to bear thereagainst, and elements mounted on the respective end portions of said member forming loops adapted for encircling inwardly projecting elements suitably located on said uprights to restrain said member against downward movement.

ARTHUR R. BURKE. 

